


Promises are Forever (or they should be)

by Kaetbab



Series: Blast from the Past [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: A Lot Of People Are Mentioned, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, First Kiss, Fluff, Found Family talk, He’s bi but he doesn’t know it yet, Luke is 15, M/M, Percy’s in for a rude awakening, Poseidon and Hermes are mentioned, but let him be in love, for my sake more than yours, for now, i will die with this ship and the angst it fuels me with, so is chiron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-03
Updated: 2020-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 04:07:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22547521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaetbab/pseuds/Kaetbab
Summary: What might’ve happened behind the scenes of the Percy Jackson series? Did Percy ever like anyone before Annabeth?Percy might not know the exact terms for his feelings, but he knows it’s up there somewhere for the older cabin counselor. How could he not when the other had been one of the very few who still treated him like a normal camper? Plus, Luke promised, so at least that will be a constant, right?A continuation of my series that I’m working on! Stories are not connected. At least, not yet...
Relationships: Luke Castellan & Annabeth Chase & Thalia Grace, Luke Castellan & Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson/Luke Castellan
Series: Blast from the Past [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1614103
Comments: 3
Kudos: 78





	Promises are Forever (or they should be)

**Author's Note:**

> This is another addition to my Blast from the Past series! This is one of the background stories that will be featured when I get into the retelling of the books. AU changes such as the first of this series are mere things that could’ve happened but didn’t while this one is something that did happen (in my AU) but was never spoken as a way to keep the story on track. I can explain more if anyone is curious! 
> 
> I have 2 more ideas planned but I want to get more in before I start on the retelling of the books so if you have any ideas, please comment them. 
> 
> Aphrodite is grossly underrated, considering her parentage in the PJO and HoO series. I feel like she’s the type to know exactly what the fuck is up but will let it play it out in favor of her possibilities. She should honestly be feared if I were to be honest.

Mist curled around them as Luke led Percy to the back of the stables and into a more secluded part of the forest. 

The 15 year old had a small bag with him that contained a few snacks and a mini case of soda. “Hurry up! You’re going too slow,” Luke chastised with a joking grin. Percy huffed but picked up the pace until they stopped in front of a large rock in an open clearing. From above, the stars could be clearly seen.

“How many people know about this place?” The 12 year old asked, looking up at Luke with barely restrained awe.

“Only me and you. Maybe Chiron and dryads, but out of the campers, it’s only us.” Luke sat in front of the rock and motioned for Percy to sit next to him.

Cheeks flushed, Percy slid down next to the older. Luke had been helping Percy get adjusted to being at camp, especially now since he had been claimed by Poseidon. It had been a lonely few days. 

Everyone was avoiding him like crazy. As Poseidon’s son, his dad was powerful enough that they wouldn’t pick on him purposely, but just low enough that they didn’t show any respect or compassion towards him whatsoever. Though, he wasn’t sure what would be better, fake friends or no friends at all? 

“What’s on your mind?” Luke asked, setting stuff out. 

Percy sighed. “A lot. I thought things would be a lot better here compared to home…” he frowned and leaned back on the rock, hands pressed to his eyes to keep them from tearing up against his will. 

“Is it about your mom?” 

No answer.

“Well, if it makes you feel better, she’s probably still alive.” Luke smiled sympathetically when Percy shot up, staring at him intently. 

“What do you mean?” Percy asked. 

“She’s most likely in the Underworld. I don’t know why, but if she shimmered away in gold dust as you’ve said, there’s a big chance she was just taken.” The look of relief that went across Percy’s face was worth it, in Luke’s opinion. 

“That means I could rescue her, right?” 

“Woah, that’s a bit ambitious there Percy, you’d need a quest to be able to leave, which isn’t happening anytime soon if Chiron has a say in it.” 

Percy pouted but nodded anyway, reaching forward to take the Sour Patch Kids that were laid out in front of them. He opened the pack and started eating the blue ones, earning a raised eyebrow from the older. 

“My mom got in an argument with my step dad once about if blue food was real or not and she’s gone out of her way to make blue everything just to spite him.” Percy answered without as much of a glance in Luke’s direction as he looked at the stars. “What’s your favorite constellation?” 

Luke shrugged and leaned back, shifting a bit closer to Percy. “Hercules, easy.”

“Really? Why?” 

“He had the worst luck imaginable.” 

There was a small giggle and Luke glanced at Percy, who was grinning wide. “What? It’s true!” 

“Normally it’s because he’s ‘the greatest hero of all time’ or whatever.” Percy retorted with finger quotes.

Luke rolled his eyes. “Please. He only gets that because he’s Zeus’ kid.” 

Percy nodded and leaned on Luke’s arm, holding up a blue sour patch for him to take. Smiling, Luke took it and ate it. 

“Do people have girlfriends here?” The 12 year old looked up at the older, who was wide-eyed. 

“...I’m sorry?” 

“It’s a weird question but, if demigods die all the time, do people here get a girlfriend or boyfriend just to say they did?” 

“Oh...well I’m not sure. I’ve never thought of it like that. It would make sense though, sad to say.” Luke shrugged. 

“I wanna do that, do stuff just to say I did.” Percy whispered. 

Luke grinned and raised an eyebrow. “Like what?” 

“Get a girlfriend or boyfriend, I dunno which yet, that kind of stuff. My mom always said I would do ‘great things’ and I don’t want to go down saying I did nothing. The whole “live life like it’s your last”, but literal.” 

“Well, if there’s anyone who can do it, it’s you.” Luke’s eyes shone with admiration and something else. Percy wasn’t sure what, but it made him feel better nonetheless.

“Thanks Luke.”

They sat in comfortable silence for a while until Luke asked quietly. 

“What do you think of camp so far?” 

Percy took a while to answer. Finally, he said “It was fun when I was still unclaimed. I know a lot of campers want to be claimed but now it’s like…” Percy moved his hands wildly in an attempt to find the right word but eventually threw his hands up in exasperation and huffed “You get what I mean, yeah?” 

“Yeah, I do. I guess being a kid of the Big Three isn’t as good as they make it out to be?” 

“Good?” Percy laughed, though a bit bitter. “Imagine knowing that being alive is basically a crime in the godly world. My mom was forced to marry a nasty pig to hide my scent, or so I was told. Then there was Thalia…” Percy frowned. 

He could’ve very easily ended up like her on the Hill that night. Hell, he would’ve if it wasn’t for his mom. 

He sighed. He didn’t miss how Luke tensed at the mention of Thalia. Contrary to popular belief, Percy was, in fact, not stupid. He could be slow at times, but he was always observing, figuring out the missing pieces to the puzzle when he could. 

“You came to camp with Thalia, right?” Percy started. “Someone else too, and met Grover along the way, but something happened before you got here.” He glanced at Luke, who was staring forlornly at the tree ahead. 

“We got held back by a monster trap, and by the time we escaped, the other monsters had arrived and were waiting for us.” Luke sighed. “She sacrificed herself for us yet Zeus turned her into a tree, instead of letting her die like the hero she is.” 

“Isn’t that better than her being dead?” 

“It’s like with your mom, Perce. Knowing she’s not fully dead yet being unable to do anything to bring her back? It hurts, and I know Grover still blames himself for what happened when he shouldn’t.” 

Percy nodded and leaned his head on Luke’s shoulder. “Who was the other person with you guys?” 

“Annabeth.” 

“Oh…” Percy looked back to the large pine tree, mild bitterness settled in his chest. He understood Zeus’ intentions, but now there was the unmistakable reminder of what Luke, Grover, and Annabeth had lost. How was that supposed to be fair?

With every new thing going on, he was starting to like the gods less and less. Dionysus was rude and uncaring, Zeus was selfish when it came to his own children but his own siblings’ kids, forget it apparently. Hades...well he wasn’t sure. He had his mom, not good, but he also hadn’t killed her, which left Percy feeling conflicted. 

“What do you think about your dad, Hermes?” Percy asked after some silence. 

“Hate him. I met him once...but that was one too many in my opinion,” Luke answered without hesitation, as though he had thought of it before. “What about you? Do you like Poseidon?” 

“I...no.” Percy glared at the ground, normally bright sea-green eyes darkened and stormy. “He never even bothered to show up, much less send anything. If gods are supposed to see everything, surely he would’ve seen how my mom was struggling, right? Yet, he did nothing. That’s not how family works.” 

Blinking stunned, Luke wrapped a tentative hand around Percy, pulling him close. “Hey, I get it. But don’t worry, you’ll have a big family here at camp soon enough. Promise,” Meeting Luke’s eyes, Percy blushed and nodded. 

“Okay...you better not be lying, or I’m hunting you down myself.” 

With a laugh, Luke grinned. “Uh-huh, I’m sure you will.” 

Percy stuck his tongue out before shifting to a more serious expression. “If we’re gonna be family, you gotta promise me something.” 

“Sure, what it is?” 

“Promise me you won’t leave.” Luke was quiet for a moment before he laughed. 

“That’s a big promise to be making, Perce.” 

“Wh- Luke no this is serious!” Percy huffed. “If we’re gonna be family, you can’t just leave and abandon us. That’ll hurt a lot of people here, and make you no better than the gods.” 

“Alright, I...I promise I won’t abandon you guys.” Luke seemed to choose his words carefully, but Percy didn’t seem to notice as he beamed and relaxed into Luke’s embrace more with a yawn. 

“Oh, and Percy?” 

Percy looked up, ready to respond, only to be cut off by a pair of lips on his. There was a moment of shock before he slowly relaxed into it, eyes fluttering shut. 

Luke’s lips were chapped and still a bit salty from the candy that was given to him, but they still soft enough that it left the younger reeling. 

Pulling away, Luke’s eyes glinted mischievously as Percy simply  _ stared.  _ “You said we should live life like it’s our last, right? That’s one thing you can add to your list.”

“You are such an ass!” Percy punched his shoulder, no real malice as he leaned back onto the others’ side. “It felt nice though, so I guess you aren’t that much of an ass.” 

Luke laughed and Percy smiled, letting himself drift off into the endless abyss that was sleep.  
  


* * *

Luke wasn’t sure how to feel. 

Back that up a bit, bud.

He wasn’t sure how to feel about his role for Kronos. 

He wanted revenge on his father and the gods, why did the demigods, his _ family _ , have to be put in the crossfire? 

_ “Because the gods never want to fight their own battles,”  _ the dark voice provided helpfully. 

Holding Percy, he carefully made his way to the Poseidon cabin. Thankfully, the cleaning harpies weren’t nearby, and he had promised a dryad he could come clean up the stuff he brought once he put Percy in bed. 

There were days that he regretted joining the Titan’s side, simply because he was too afraid to have to face what would inevitably come. 

The day he would have to confront Camp Half-Blood once again. 

He already knew he was leaving. It was only a matter of time before they figured out his misdeeds against the gods. But…

Looking down at the peacefully sleeping son of Poseidon, he couldn’t help but frown. 

Percy would hate him until the day he died. So would Annabeth, and Thalia when she was to come back (Kronos said that her time would come eventually). However, deep down, he knows they would truly be mourning the loss of the friend they thought they had. They were close, some more so than others, but all the same. 

It was just something he would have truck through. The gods are playing them all, and once he helps free the demigods of their unknown binds holding them back, they would understand. They  _ had  _ to. 

Because if they didn’t...he wasn’t sure he would be able to handle it. 

He mumbled a quiet prayer to Poseidon before entering his cabin, stopping momentarily to make sure he wasn’t turned into plankton. 

Confirming all his cells were still the same, he made his way to the only messy bunk, he gently set Percy down and tucked him in. 

Smiling sadly, he slipped a ring off his finger and set it on the bedside table. He hadn’t given Annabeth her’s yet...he probably should. He would’ve loved to tuck her into an actual bed, a gesture of brotherly love (though he supposed it was something different with Percy), but unfortunately she had gotten claimed and the Athena cabin would never let him enter, especially not at night.

_ “If you aren’t going to convince them to join, you should not be getting close to them, you pitiful servant,”  _ Kronos hissed and Luke flinched. 

Sighing, he pressed a gentle kiss to Percy’s forehead and turned to exit the cabin. It was homey…

He sped up, quickly closing the door behind him and sliding down until he was sitting in front of the door. 

He groaned and put his hands in his face. Kronos was right, if he got attached, he would start to doubt himself. But, how could he not? Everyone had been nothing but kind to him, minus his quest. 

“Love exists outside of romantic, have I ever told you that?” A voice spoke and Luke looked up to be face to face with the Love Goddess herself. 

Jumping, he quickly mumbled an apology, only for it to be laughed off with a shrug. 

“Worry not, Luke. Your tale is a very complex one indeed.” She smiled, and Luke could notice the features that made her unlike the other Olympian gods. 

For starters, she wasn’t born from the gods or even the Titans, as she had been born from Uranus himself, the primordial. Or well, his genitals that were tossed in the sea. 

She should’ve been considered a Titan, but she was not, which was confusing. All he knew was that she was single-handedly one of the strongest deities out of the gods he had ever heard of, and he never wanted to underestimate her ever. She terrified him much more than Kronos did, and rightfully so. 

Sometimes he wondered if the Aphrodite kids had any sea powers or any kids of Poseidon had love magic. That...would be terrifying. 

“Why are you here..?” He asked after an uncomfortable amount of staring. 

“I cannot visit some of the demigods here at Camp?” 

“I thought the gods weren’t allowed to interact with their kids,” Luke grumbled bitterly. 

She grinned then, eyes darkening into something mischievous. It almost reminded him of the Stolls. 

“What power does Zeus have over me?” She whispered, voice filled with dark glee. “I follow his little rules so that he can stay under the delusion that his little empire is perfect, when it isn’t. You, sweetheart, are a perfect example of that.” 

He felt himself blush and look closer into her features. She almost looked like Rhea...with hints of Athena? Blue-ish green eyes with flecks of grey and waist length black hair with streaks of blonde. Huh, odd.

(Only later would he realize why she looked like this on that night.)

“You are an interesting case. I haven’t even dipped a toe into the complexity of your love life. You did that all on your own.” She clapped with a grin. “Stuck between loyal friends and unloyal gods, but it seems you made your choice already.” 

“I...I’m not sure if what I’m doing is right.” Luke admitted with a frown. 

“I could always say “Choose the gods, they’re the good guys!” but are they really?” Aphrodite tapped her chin. “It seems the only good they’ve provided was the friends you have today, and even then, one was turned into a tree.” 

“Are you implying I stay with the Titans?” 

She smirked, as though he said exactly what she wanted. “I’m implying that you follow your heart, young Luke. There never truly are good or bad sides, it’s only how you perceive it to be.” She leaned closer to him and whispered.

“I will not be assisting you in your thirst for vengeance, but I will not be fighting against you either...yet. Demigod matters are none of my own as of now, but be warned. I saw what you did with Silena and while I’m impressed, she  _ is _ my daughter, and I do not appreciate you breaking her heart.” Aphrodite glared and stepped back, a perfect smile on her perfect lips, sea-green and grey eyes gleaming with unveiled interest. 

“We’ll see how your story rolls out, young antagonist. I’ll have my eye on you,” and in a puff of lightning blue, the Goddess of Love was gone.

**Author's Note:**

> Woop, it’s the end! Luke is 15, as I’ve said because I do not want to be writing a 12 year old crushing on a 19 year old. Dear gods no. He will be 15 and aging up as normal in my AU-ish series until he’s 19 in TLO. 
> 
> I like this ship in particular not because it’s cute, but because of the potential behind it. I could expand more on it, but I’m not sure yet. Be sure to leave suggestions of twists you might want to see in the coming stories I’m writing!


End file.
